Cylinder for locks.



Patented Mar. 25, I902.

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UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

EDWARD H. MIX, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE YALE (it TOWNE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

CYLINDER FOR LOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,067, dated March 25, 1902. Application filed November 28, 1898. Serial No. 697,667. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. MIX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Stamford, in the county of Fair-field and State of Connecticut, (post-office address Stamford, Fairfield county, care of the-Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company,) have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key Cylinders for Locks, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in key cylinders or nosings of locks, and it is applicable to any type of lock in which the looking and tumbler mechanisms are contained in the lock-casing and in which the key cylinder or nosing is simply used as a support and guide for the key.

A detachable key-plug for looks ofthe above class has already been made, as shown in the patent of F. W. Mix, No. 551,684; but in that instance the key-plug is not secured as in the present case, but has squared projection passed entirely through the lock-casingand having a bearing in its rear plate as well as in its front plate and having a furtherbearing in the escutcheon attached to the drawer front or other closure; but in my improvement the key cylinder or nosing is made selfcontained and is attached only to one wall of the lock-casing and when in. place needs no further support. A set 'screw similar to that shown in patent of Mix, No. 524,643, is employed by me for holding the key-cylinder in place, but is used differently there-' from, since in the old use the set-screw holds the plug from sliding downward out of engagement with the case, whereas in the present use the screw impinges a face to prevent disengaging rotation of the plug, the plug be-l ing provided with a round neck that engages in a square hole and having a squared head that can pass through the hole, but engages the wall of the case when rotated forty-five degrees. The advantage of this construction in connection with mortise-locks is obvious, because without a detachable key nosing or cylinder the mortise-lock cannot be applied; but it is also advantageous in connection with half mortise. or rimlocks, because the lock-casings and locking mechanism of locks may be made up in any desired quantity and carried in stock, while the key cylinders or nosings can be-made of varying lengths for different thicknesses of wood and supplied to I the users according to demand.

To these ends myinventiori consists in pro- 1 viding the lock-casing'with an opening in the front wall of non-circular form, preferably polygonal? and a rotatable key cylinder, or nosing which aids orsupports the key during rotation, with a neck located in the opening lent fastening device introduced from some part of the lock or closure which is accessible only when the door or closure is open,'and

this fastening device as well as the depression or opening which it enters in the keycylinder are so positioned as to secure the key-cylinder in proper position to direct the key properly to the lock-actuating mechanism which is within the lock-casing proper.

My invention will be fully understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a closure in which myimproved rotating key-cylinder is connected with the front wall of a lock, or a section thereof is shown mortised. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing separated the lock-casing and the key-cylinder, the parts beingin the relative positions which they assume when coming together and before the key-cylinder is turned to cause engagement.

Fig. 2 shows the key-cylinder in reverse po- 'sition.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the inside of the front wall of the lock-casing with the key-cylinder in position and the re taining-screw inserted.

1 represents the part of a door, desk-cover, or other closure to which a mortise cabinetlock is generally applied.

2 represents a lock-casing which is mortised into the part l in the usual manner and secured by the face-plate 3.

4 represents a rotatable key-cylinder which is likewise mortised into the part 1, but in a position which makes it imperative to have said key-cylinder separable from the lockcasing 2 in order to apply the parts, as shown.

My present invention provides means for detachably connecting the key-cylinder to the lock-casing in a convenient, inexpensive, and effective manner, and consists in forming the lock-casing 2 with an opening 5 of other than circular shape, in order to admit an engaging part which may thereafter be turned so as to engage the front wall of the lock-casing, and in providing the key-cylinder 4 with a head 6 at its inner end, which will readily enter the opening 5 when presented in proper position, but the corners G of which will engage the front walls of the lock-casing from behind when the key-cylinder is slightly rotatedsay to ninety dcgreesand thereafter prevent removal of the key-cylinder until the latter is again turned to bring the sides of its head so as to coincide or register with the sides of the opening. A reduced neck 4 is preferably formed on the inner end of the key-cylinder in rear ofthe head, so as to fit the shorter diameter of the opening 5, and this, together with the impingement of the head 6 and the shoulder on the front wall of the lock-casing, will hold the key-cylinder firmly in position. To prevent rotation of the key-cylinder to disengaging position after the parts are assembled, I employa set-screw or pin 8,. threaded at its outer end in the face-plate 3, as shown at 9, and having a bearing 10 for its inner end adjacent to the key-cylinder 4. The end of the set-screw 8 enters a depression or recess 11 in the key-cylinder, which is so located as to cause the key-cylinder to assume the proper position to direct the key properly to the locking mechanism within the lock-casing when the retaining-pin or setscrew is introduced. The outer end of the key-cylinder is formed with an annular seat 4 for a rotating key piece or disk 12 and with radial notches 4. The key piece or disk 12 is provided with adiametric key-slot 12, whose ends are adapted to register with the radial notches 4 when the key (not shown) is in proper position to enter the lockcasing.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of alock-casing having a non-circular opening, a key-plug, a flanged head at one end of said plug adapted to be fitted in the opening of the casing and rotated with the plug to engage the inner wall of the casing, and means holding the plug in adjusted position.

2. The combination of a lock-casiughaving a non-circular opening, a key-plug, a flanged head at one end of said plug adapted to be fitted in the opening of the casing and rotated with the plug to engage theinner wall of the casing, and a set-screw carried by the casing and adapted to engage the rotatable plug.

3. The combination of a lock-casing, having a polygonal-shaped opening therein, a key-plug provided with a round neck of less diameter than the said opening, a polygonalshaped flanged head on the plug, the corners of which are adapted to engage with the inner walls of the casin g, and means holding the plug in adjusted position.

EDW. H. MIX.

Witnesses:

SCHUYLER MERRITT, W. C. FELL. 

